According to a prepared statement from the Environmental Protection Agency, UMass discovered that the window glazing at the research center was contaminated with high levels of contaminants after finishing a window-caulking project in 2009.

UMass has agreed to replace and dispose of all 900 PCB-contaminated windows over the next 15 years at a cost of about $3 million.

The university will complete window cleaning, encapsulation, verification and baseline sampling within 24 months, according to the release and to start removing windows in Tower A on floors 3, 7 and 8 by Dec. 31, according to a UMass statement.

The cost of these interim measures is about $560,000. The settlement agreement also includes a $75,000 civil penalty that will be waived if both the long-term remediation plan and interim encapsulation plan are completed, according to the release.

The window-glazing compound was commonly used in construction from the 1950s through the mid-1970s. The Lederle complex at UMass Amherst was constructed in the early 1970s.

UMass spokesman Edward F. Blaguszewski said this is the only building on campus that he knows of that has the contaminated windows.

“We’re obviously concerned with the issue. We want to protect our employees. We’ve taken steps for an interim plan. This is something that allows for a fairly prompt way to address the exposure,” he said.

“We really want to partner with the EPA to address the issue.”
He said EPA officials feel that “coming up with a solution such as this is something that could possibly serve as a model” for others with similar issues to follow.